Paramount Pictures today announced that the sequel to J.J. Abrams’ 2009 blockbuster Star Trek, will be released in the immersive IMAX 3D format on May 17, 2013. The film represents the second feature in the ground-breaking franchise to be released in IMAX following Star Trek, which grossed more than $375 million at the worldwide box office.

Following on the heels of Paramount Pictures’ and Bad Robot’s 2011 hit, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, the filmmakers have once again taken full advantage of the IMAX® camera as well as the clarity and scope that The IMAX Experience® provides in order to transport fans into this 23rd century world. Several key sections of the film that feature big action set pieces have been captured with IMAX cameras, which has become an integral tool for visionary filmmakers to tell their amazing stories.

Exclusively in IMAX, sequences shot with the extremely high-resolution cameras will expand to fill the entire screen and further immerse the audience in the vast dimension and adventure of this highly-anticipated follow-up. Directed by J.J. Abrams and written by Damon Lindelof (Prometheus), Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (Transformers, Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek) the sequel follows another chapter of the USS Enterprise crew’s exploration into the unknown. Returning to their posts on the Enterprise are Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, and Bruce Greenwood. They are joined by new cast members Peter Weller and Alice Eve.

“We were so thrilled with the creative results of shooting IMAX for Mission: Impossible that we jumped at the chance to use the format for Star Trek. All expectations were exceeded — the action and resolution is insane at this scale. We cannot wait for audiences to see the crew of the Enterprise in a way they never have before,” said J.J. Abrams.

The IMAX release of the Star Trek sequel will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.